What Chaos Brings
by Kat Tru
Summary: Let's see...witches, warlocks, demons, a Source (hmm...sounds like Charmed so far...) and...half souls? My own sort of weird story that I dreamed up, read and yea shall see. Disclaimer: I don't own Charmed, duh! (3-18 I UPDATED!)
1. Prologue

OK, I am brand new to Charmed. I am going off what little I have seen and read and what friends of mine told me. I have yet to see any of the episodes when Cole becomes the Source, I only have what people have told me. Please forgive me for my ignorance if I make mistakes. This is just a story that formed in my mind even though I am so new.  
  
OK, a new evil being has replaced the Source, like I said, if I get things wrong, that is just out of my ignorance of what happened after the Cole was possessed, they are worse than the Source because they want to destroy everything, but the Charmed Ones don't know that yet.  
  
Feedback is treasured.  
  
~*~  
  
  
  
Prologue  
  
Phoebe was sitting at the kitchen table working on her column when there was a knock on the door. She glanced at the clock, 2:30. Who would come here at this hour? She took that thought back as soon as it popped into her head.  
  
She walked to the door, tensed for an attack. Opening it she found one of the last people on Earth she wanted to see right then.  
  
"Cole, please, I - "  
  
"I came to say good bye," he told her quickly.  
  
Phoebe was taken aback. "Good bye?" Cole nodded. "I'm leaving. You have told me, repeatedly, that you have moved on with your life and that I should do so as well. I never will be able to move on, but leaving will make going on easier."  
  
Phoebe took a deep breath. "What brought this on?" Boy this was unexpected.  
  
"A friend of mine is having trouble with demons, warlocks.the usual." He shrugged. "There are no witches around.or White Lighters, they are all alone. I figure I could be of help."  
  
Phoebe blew out a breath. "Are you ever coming back?"  
  
Cole shrugged and stuck his hands into his pockets. "I don't know." Probably not.  
  
"When do you leave?"  
  
"Immediately."  
  
"Oh," she said lamely. They stood in an awkward silence for a few moments. "Well, good luck."  
  
"Thank you, you too." He inclined his head. This was a lot harder than he thought it was going to be. "Good bye Phoebe."  
  
"Good bye Cole."  
  
She watched him walk to his car, climb in and drive off.  
  
She closed the door and went back to the kitchen, turning over in her mind what had just happened.  
  
~*~  
  
Unbeknownst to Phoebe Piper and Paige had been listening around the corner and had heard everything.  
  
"Well, looks like we won't be hearing from him any time soon," Paige whispered.  
  
"I suppose," Piper whispered back. "I may not be Phoebe, but I have a feeling that we will see him again."  
  
Paige made a face. "Well, I am going back to bed, I have to get to the office early tomorrow, and we all know how scarce sleep can be for us."  
  
Piper nodded. She followed Paige up the stairs, but her mind stayed on Phoebe and Cole.  
  
'I wonder if this is what Phoebe really wants? Does she even have any idea what she really wants?'  
  
~*~  
  
OK, that was the Prologue, I just wanted a background for the actual story. I hope you liked it! 


	2. Chapter 1

OK, since I don't have school tomorrow I am able to get the next part up.  
  
I am glad people enjoyed the Prologue! That just kinda is to tell you how things got to where they are in the story.  
  
Hope you like this part!  
  
~*~  
  
Chapter 1  
  
18 months later  
  
Phoebe was staring out the window with out seeing anything at first she didn't hear Piper talking to her.  
  
"Phoebe? Phoebe. Phoebe!"  
  
Finally Phoebe was jerked out of her thoughts. "Huh? Sorry what did you say Piper?"  
  
"Never mind, Phoebe, your mind seems to be elsewhere." Piper waved her hand dismissively.  
  
Paige grinned at Phoebe. "Have you got a hot date tonight or something?"  
  
"Umm.yeah, I do actually."  
  
"Is he nice?"  
  
"Kind, caring, handsome, intelligent and funny."  
  
"He sounds like the perfect guy," Paige said knowingly.  
  
"Umm.Yeah, he does." Phoebe spoke distractedly.  
  
Piper and Paige looked at each other. Phoebe for the last year and a half had been happy, she had had good jobs; done family things with her sisters, brother-in-law and new niece; dated regularly. But there were times when Phoebe would get a far off look in her eyes that they both knew meant she her mind was somewhere else and with someone else.  
  
Just then Prudence Melinda, made known that she wanted to be picked up. Piper lifted her out of her highchair. As she took her daughter into her arms Piper glanced out the window.  
  
"What do you know?"  
  
"What?" Paige asked.  
  
"Someone is moving in next door."  
  
"Really?" Phoebe asked. She and Paige moved over to join their older sister at the window. There was a U-Haul truck pulling away from it.  
  
"Huh, so there is."  
  
"I thought that that place was going to stay empty forever," Paige said.  
  
They stood there together for a few moments. Then Piper turned away from the window and walked purposefully toward the kitchen. "I am going to make a casserole and then we are going to go over and introduce ourselves."  
  
Paige and Phoebe looked at each other then ran upstairs to finish up any work that they had for work. There was no telling how long it would be before they would have another chance to work on it if their neighbors were warlocks, demons or some other trouble makers.  
  
~*~  
  
OK that is the first chapter. I hope it was OK. 


	3. Chapter 2

OK, here is the next chapter. Thank you so much to everyone who reviewed! The funny thing for me in writing this story is that for me the real action comes up really fast. Usually it takes me a little while to build up to some action, here that won't be so. I hope you like!  
  
~*~  
  
Chapter 2  
  
Piper, Phoebe and Paige walked up the front steps. Phoebe rang the doorbell since Piper had her hands full carrying Mel and Paige was holding the casserole. The strains of music that they could hear coming from inside abruptly shut off, then they heard footsteps coming toward the door. The door opened enough for the person to stand in the opening. She was a young woman, a little younger than Paige; her strawberry blond hair was put up in a messy bun with wisps of hair falling around her makeup-less face, her green-gray eyes looked them up and down. She smiled at them.  
  
"May I help you?" Her voice was friendly, but the Charmed Ones could hear the guarded tone in her voice.  
  
Piper smiled. "Hi, I'm Piper Halliwell Wyatt and these are my sisters, Phoebe Halliwell and Paige Matthews. And this is my daughter, Prudence Melinda. We are your neighbors over there." Piper nodded to Halliwell manor.  
  
The young woman glanced over at the house then looked back at the sisters. "My name is Chimera Rush." She smiled and stuck her hand through the opening, shook each of the sisters' hands and smiled at Mel. "It's a pleasure to meet you."  
  
Paige stepped forward. "This is for you." She handed the casserole to Chimera. "Piper made it, she is an amazing chef."  
  
Chimera accepted it. "Thank you. Would you like to come in? I was just making some tea."  
  
"We wouldn't want to bother you," Piper said. "I am sure you have a lot of unpacking to do."  
  
Chimera shook her head and opened the door wider. "It would be no bother at all. We got here at about midnight and started unpacking immediately so we have unpacked just about everything."  
  
The girls walked in and saw what she meant. The furniture was all unpacked and set up; they didn't see a single box anywhere.  
  
Once inside Piper could see Chimera better. She sized her up. She was a little under medium height, she wore a button down shirt, the sleeves rolled up to her elbows and the front open, over a white tank top; a pair of old jeans and white Keds. Around her neck hung a silver necklace, the pendant on it looked like the Charmed Ones' symbol except instead of a circle there was and eternity symbol interlocked in it. Besides the necklace, nothing else about her was particularly remarkable, but Piper, Phoebe and Paige knew better.  
  
Chimera closed the door behind them then led them through the entry hall. Piper noticed a rag hanging out of her back pocket, there were red smudges all over it.  
  
"Did you cut yourself?"  
  
Chimera turned to her, confused.  
  
"The rag in your pocket." Piper gestured to it.  
  
"Oh!" Chimera pulled it out. "No, it's paint. I was doing some painting when you rang." She gestured to a canvas on an easel as they entered the sunroom. "Have a seat, I will get the tea." She motioned them to the white whicker furniture, then exited the room again.  
  
The sisters studied the painting, it was hauntingly beautiful. There was a crystal vase with two flowers in it. On the left was a blood red rose and on the right was a snow white lily.  
  
"It's lovely. You are an artist?" Phoebe called in the direction Chimera had gone.  
  
"Thank you," she called back. They then heard her footsteps heading their way. "I am just amateur. I enjoy doing it and it relaxes me." She stepped into the room carrying a try with everything, then she began to set it all out on the coffee table. "'Art is the food and expression of the soul.' That's what someone used to tell me." Paige noticed Chimera's hand unconsciously drifted up to her necklace at this.  
  
"What do you do for a living?" Paige glanced at her as she accepted her cup.  
  
"I am in graphic design. I design logos and such for companies. I also often teach classes."  
  
Mel became fussy and squirmed in her mother's arms to get down. Chimera smiled at the little girl fondly then walked over to an old wooden trunk in a corner. She pulled a red bag out of it, walked over to near Piper then spilled the contents out. Red, yellow, blue and green blocks clanked on the stone floor; Mel laughed delightedly. Piper let her down, smiling gratefully at Chimera, who smiled back.  
  
The four women finally sat down to tea, Chimera getting to know them and they getting to know her, all the while watching a very happy Mel play with the blocks.  
  
~*~  
  
Well, that's chapter two. I hope you liked! Please tell me what you thought of it. And if you didn't like it please tell me why to I can make it better, so no flames please! 


	4. Chapter 3

Thank you so much for all of the reviews! Here is the next part!  
  
~*~  
  
Piper, Phoebe and Paige were telling Chimera about P3 when they heard the front door open and then slam closed. Moments later they heard someone go up the stairs then a door slam.  
  
Chimera was looking worriedly over in the direction of the stairs. "Please excuse me for a moment," she asked distractedly as she rose. She hurried out of the room.  
  
The three sisters watched her leave then looked at each other.  
  
"What do you think that was about?"  
  
~*~  
  
Chimera walked up the stairs the to one of the front rooms. She lightly knocked on the door. "Are you ok?"  
  
There was no answer. She tried the handle. Locked. "Open this door right now or else!" She placed her hands on her hips.  
  
There was silence for a moment then the sound of footsteps came from the other side of the door, followed by the click of the lock.  
  
Chimera twisted the handle again, this time the door opened. The room's occupant was settling back down on the bed, painfully, as she entered the room.  
  
"What happened?" She glanced over him quickly, looking for blood.  
  
"Some bounty hunters decided to play wall-a-ball, with me as the ball," his voice was muffled by the hand that he had covered his face with.  
  
"Oh, goodie," Chimera said sarcastically. "So I take it that that means that they already know that we are here?"  
  
"Me for sure, you...I don't know."  
  
She sighed then looked him over again. "What hurts?"  
  
"My head mostly, but some sore muscles as well."  
  
She shook her head. "You stay right there, I'll be right back."  
  
"Where the hell do you think I could go?" was the muttered reply.  
  
Chimera pointedly ignored the remark.  
  
She walked down the hall toward the back of house. She came to a door, unlocked it and entered the room. She jerked on the string to switch the light on then glanced around the small storage room. The walls were covered with shelves that were filled with bottles, jars, pummels, bowls and other things. She shifted some bottles and jars around, checking their labels, until she picked a bottle up, looked at it more closely and, nodding, kept it. Then she went back to shifting around bottles and jars, checking jars until she found the one she was looking for and picked it up. She jerked the light off and grabbed a cup and spoon on her way out.  
  
When she reached his room she walked over to the bedside table and set down all of her supplies. She then twisted the lid off of the jar and spooned two spoonfuls of the leafy substance into the cup. After twisting the lid back on tightly she pulled the cork out of the bottle and poured some into the cup. She shoved the plug back in place and stirred the ingredients together in the cup. Once they were mixed to her satisfaction she tapped the spoon gently on the rim of the cup and handed the concoction to the figure in the bed.  
  
"Drink up," she ordered him.  
  
He raised the cup to his lips, took a sip and grimaced.  
  
"You couldn't happen to be able to make this taste any worse than it already does, could you?"  
  
She narrowed her eyes. "You know, I could let you just suffer."  
  
That shut him up and he quietly finished up the drink.  
  
When he was done he handed the cup back to her. She took it and gathered up the rest of her supplies. Then she turned to him, leveling him with a serious look.  
  
"Now you stay here and rest." He opened his mouth to protest and she added, sweetly, "Unless you want to go down and greet our guests?"  
  
Yet again she was successful in shutting him up. He glared at her; she just smirked.  
  
"Have a nice rest, Cole."  
  
She closed the door behind her.  
  
~*~  
  
There it is, the new part. I hope you liked it! 


	5. Chapter 4

Happy holidays! I meant to get this part up yesterday, but was unable to. I hope you like it!  
  
~*~  
  
Chimera walked swiftly back to the sunroom. "I am sorry that too so long. My housemate just got back from returning the truck and isn't feeling well; I had to go hunting for the painkiller."  
  
"Is he alright?" Paige asked.  
  
"He's fine, it probably is mostly exhaustion, we have been really busy and haven't been getting a lot of sleep as of late." She glanced briefly toward the ceiling and muttered, "Though he does worry me sometimes."  
  
Phoebe narrowed her eyes, as if scrutinizing Chimera. "Are you sure that you aren't in love with him?"  
  
Chimera looked at her and smiled. "Positive. I am in love with and practically engaged to someone else."  
  
"Will we be meeting him sometime soon?" Piper enquired.  
  
Chimera's smile faded, she looked away and began to fiddle with her pendant. "No, he is not here right now. He is a P.I. and is often away on a case, as he is now."  
  
Paige eyed her slightly suspiciously. "Doesn't he mind you staying with another man?"  
  
Chimera grinned slightly. "No, in fact he insisted on it. He doesn't like the idea of me being alone in a city, especially a new city. So he asked a friend of his who was moving here if he would like to board with us and he agreed."  
  
Piper and Phoebe exchanged a glance.  
  
"That is actually a very good idea," Phoebe said. "Our older sister, Prue, was almost killed some years ago by a stalker."  
  
Chimera put a hand to her mouth. "Oh gosh! Where is she now?"  
  
Piper looked away, trying not to cry. Phoebe looked down as well.  
  
"She was killed almost three years ago," Paige answered.  
  
"I'm sorry," Chimera said sincerely.  
  
"Thank you," Phoebe whispered.  
  
Piper composed herself and glanced at her watch. "I have to be going, there is a party coming to my club, P3, tonight and I have to prepare for it."  
  
Chimera nodded. "I have an interview in a little over an hour as well."  
  
Piper crouched down to pick up Mel who promptly began to wail in protest.  
  
Chimera knelt down to her. "Mel how about I make you a deal?"  
  
Mel quieted a little and looked at her.  
  
"If you are good for your mommy, aunts and daddy then you can come over whenever they say it's ok and I am here and you can play with the blocks. How is that?"  
  
Mel stared at her, considering her ultimatum. Then she nodded, released the blocks and allowed her mother to pick her up.  
  
"Thank you." Piper smiled.  
  
Chimera smiled back, she glanced at Mel and her smile became a little wistful. Piper looked at her compassionately and knowingly.  
  
Chimera lead them to the door. "Thank you for coming over and thank you for the casserole."  
  
"It was nothing," Piper assured her.  
  
"It was a lot! With this interview I didn't know when I was going to have time to make dinner!"  
  
Piper smiled. "Well it was a pleasure to meet you, Chimera."  
  
"It was a pleasure to meet all of you as well."  
  
"I hope your housemate feels better," Phoebe told her.  
  
Paige nodded. "And welcome to the neighborhood."  
  
"Thank you."  
  
Chimera watched them leave the yard then went back into the house. She glanced briefly up at the ceiling then walked toward the sunroom to clean up, shaking her head.  
  
~*~  
  
Phoebe walked just behind her sisters toward Halliwell Manor. She had the feeling that she was being watched. She turned back toward the house, she saw nothing, and the feeling went away. She turned back around, shaking her head trying to calm the thoughts bouncing around inside of it.  
  
~*~  
  
Cole stepped away from the widow when Phoebe looked back. He held his breath until she turned back around and followed her sisters. He sighed and went back to bed.  
  
~*~  
  
Elsewhere an ancient evil is planning something that has never been planned before, never even considered before. The evil smiles as he sees that everything seems to be going according to its plan.  
  
~*~  
  
Whadday think? A little taste of what is to come. 


	6. Chapter 5

Here's the next part, with some more interesting revelations..  
  
~*~  
  
Piper, Phoebe and Paige waited until they were all in the kitchen before they began discussing their new neighbors.  
  
"OK shall we begin the commentary now?" Paige quipped.  
  
"Well she seems nice enough." Phoebe took an apple from the bowl.  
  
"Yeah well we all know how things are not always as they seem." Piper bounced her daughter on her hip, making silly faces to entertain the little girl.  
  
Phoebe studied the apple; she knew that Piper wasn't only referring to Cole but to Jeremy and others as well, but just the same.  
  
Piper looked up, realizing what she had said. She looked over at Paige, grimacing; Paige winced as well. They had both been trying to keep Phoebe's mind off of Cole as much as possible, they could tell that it hurt her sometimes.  
  
"So," Paige spoke up, trying to change the subject, "Umm.did either of you catch her housemate's name?"  
  
Phoebe looked up, shaking her head.  
  
Piper tilted her head, realization dawning on her face. "Neither did I, she just referred to him as her housemate the whole time."  
  
Phoebe furrowed her brow. "That's odd."  
  
Paige glanced over at her. "And that is an understatement."  
  
Phoebe smiled at her sarcastically. "Aren't you sweet?"  
  
Paige smiled back at her. "Um hum, always."  
  
"Alright, break it up!" Piper's lips twitched as she struggled to keep a straight face.  
  
Phoebe glanced slyly over at Paige. "Uh oh, Paige, I think that we have turned Piper back into the middle child!"  
  
Piper mock glared at Phoebe, who was grinning from ear to ear, while Paige was laughing.  
  
"And for that," Piper walked over to Phoebe, "you get to watch Mel while I get ready for work!" She placed Mel in Phoebe's arms and headed up stairs.  
  
Phoebe looked at Mel. "You have an evil Mommy. You know that?"  
  
Mel giggled.  
  
~*~  
  
Chimera was dressed for her interview, but decided to go in and check on Cole before she left. She lightly tapped on the door, just in case he was sleeping, which was highly doubtful.  
  
"Come on in, Chimera!" the voice from within called.  
  
Chimera pushed the door open; Cole was lying on the bed staring at the ceiling but he looked over at her when she entered.  
  
"Hey, how's it going?" She sat down on the edge of the bed.  
  
Cole shrugged. "Fine, I feel better than I did before."  
  
Chimera raised a warning eyebrow. "And you ever doubted you would?"  
  
Cole took the warning.  
  
He took a deep breath. "Where are you going?" he asked, noticing how she was dressed.  
  
Chimera nodded. "I have a job interview." She glanced at her watch. "In fact I have to leave very soon."  
  
"Do you want me to come with you?" He sat up slightly, just barely stifling a wince.  
  
"Uh uh!' Chimera shook her head and gently pushed him back down on the bed. "You're still hurt." She got up. "Don't worry; if I need help I'll call you."  
  
Just then she heard a familiar sound. "Oh great!" she groaned. She looked back at Cole. "Leave it to Them to call at the least convenient times!"  
  
Cole chuckled.  
  
"Oh shut up!" Chimera glared at him, clearly annoyed, then glanced back up at the ceiling and raised her voice. "I just want to let you know that if I answer this and you cause me to be late for my interview I am going to hold you responsible!"  
  
Chimera blew out a breath and orbed out.  
  
Cole sat back and tried to rest.  
  
~*~  
  
How was that for revelations? Was it good? As always please review! 


	7. Chapter 6

Tada! Here's the new part! The next one, I hope, will soon follow.  
  
A.N.: I don't know if the Elders have names, but for this scene I need them to so I made some up.  
  
~*~  
  
In a swirl of white lights Chimera appeared in front of the Elders, she looking annoyed.  
  
"You range?" she asked tartly.  
  
Elder Estella frowned at Chimera's less than respectful demeanor.  
  
"Yes we did," Elder Emmett replied, ignoring her tone.  
  
"Could we be quick? If at all possible I would like to get to my interview no time. I am half mortal and I need to make a living you know." Chimera knew she was being rude, but she was tired and didn't like the Elders as it was.  
  
"There is an evil rising, its power is great; we can't find anything about it," Elder Eliza told her calmly, as immune to Chimera's attitude as Emmett.  
  
Chimera crossed her arms. "And let me guess, you want Cole to go down there," she glanced downward, "and see if he can find anything?"  
  
"Yes," Elder Eric told her evenly, locking eyes with her.  
  
Chimera glared at them. "Fine! I'll ask him. Now if that is all, I need to go."  
  
She didn't wait for the Elders to answer before she orbed out.  
  
"What are we going to do with her?" Elder Eric asked, staring at the spot where Chimera used to be.  
  
Elder Estella nodded. "She does what she is told, for the most part, but on her own terms. And her attitude!"  
  
"She can be abrasive and sarcastic," Elder Emmett agreed. "But I can't fully blame her. We haven't made things easy for her."  
  
Elder Eliza shook her head. "Doubt she will ever forgive us for all we have put her through."  
  
~*~  
  
Paige and Phoebe sat at the kitchen table, Phoebe finishing up her column and Paige reading over a case file. Mel sat in her high chair playing with some toys.  
  
Piper breezed into the room; she went over to the sink and got a glass of water.  
  
"I don't think I can thank you two enough for all of the time you spend watching Mel."  
  
"It's no problem Piper," Phoebe assured her. "We have a good time playing aunties." She grinned.  
  
"Yeah," Paige agreed. "Anyway, what are sisters for?"  
  
"You mean besides saving each other's butts on an almost daily basis?" Phoebe teased.  
  
Paige stuck her tongue out at her.  
  
Just then very familiar with lights sparkled into existence which then corprealized into Leo.  
  
"Hey honey," Piper said as she leaned over and kissed him.  
  
"Hey."  
  
"Hi Leo," Phoebe and Paige chimed.  
  
"Dada!" Mel reached for her father.  
  
Leo walked over and picked her up. "How's my little girl?" He tickled her and she shrieked with laughter. Leo grinned then noticed the toy clutched in his daughter's hand. "Whatcha' got there, Pumpkin?" He gently took it from her. "A block."  
  
Piper turned and walked over to them frowning in confusion as she took it from Leo. "We don't have blocks."  
  
Paige and Phoebe walked over and looked at it.  
  
"It looks like one of the blocks Chimera gave her to play with," Paige commented as Piper handed her the block and she turned it in her hands.  
  
"Chimera?" Leo asked.  
  
"Our new neighbor," Phoebe explained. "She and her housemate moved in next door just today." Paige handed her the block.  
  
Piper and Leo were about to admonish their daughter for taking the block when they heard Phoebe gasp. They all turned to her as she came out of the premonition.  
  
She looked up at all of them. "I saw Chimera surrounded by demons, who looked like they were going to attack her."  
  
"Oh goodie," Paige muttered.  
  
"Where?" Piper asked.  
  
Phoebe closed her eyes trying to remember. "In an alley near P3."  
  
~*~  
  
Do you like? 


	8. Chapter 7

Yahoo! Yeehaw! ::Jumps up and down like crazy (quite appropriate actually, ask any of my friends).:: The action is now starting! It usually takes me forever to get to an action scene but not in this story! I hope you like it. This is just the beginning of this fight scene btw.  
  
~*~  
  
Chapter 7  
  
Chimera strode down the street, muttering grumpily under her breath a long string of choice words about certain powerful, supposedly good entities, as she pulled her cell phone out and dialed the number of her new home.  
  
It rang a couple of times before it was answered.  
  
"Hello?"  
  
"Are you up yet?" she asked not wasting her currently short temper on pleasantries.  
  
"I take it that the job didn't work out and that the Elders had something to do with it?" Cole asked.  
  
"Give the man a prize! Now are you up or not?" she snapped.  
  
Cole just barely restrained a chuckle knowing that that would get him a body part handed to him. "Yes, I'm up."  
  
"Great!" she said with mock enthusiasm. "THEY want you to go and see what you can find out down THERE about a new big power."  
  
"And you don't like it." A small smile spread across his face.  
  
"Nooooooo.........I just don't like the way that they use you. It just isn't fair!" She glanced behind her then did a double take. There was a sinister looking guy following her. "Oh crap!"  
  
"What?" Cole was instantly alert.  
  
Chimera took a quick assessment of the area..and confirmed her suspicions, there were several other similar looking men following her from different directions in the dusk light.  
  
"First get your ass over to the alley about a block north of P3 and give me a hand! I have a mob of demons on my tail!" She flipped the phone closed as she turned into the alley.  
  
And looked up to see a familiar tall, dark haired figure, but not the one she wanted to see. This one had straight black hair that fell into his dark-brown-almost-black eyes.  
  
She swallowed and took a couple of steps back from him.  
  
She glanced over her shoulder and saw that the demons that had been following her now blocked the entrance to the alley. She rotated her body so that none of the demons were behind her. She slowly backed up to the wall. The demons surrounded her in a semi circle.  
  
Chimera kept her eyes moving, watching all of them.  
  
Then the dark haired demon stepped through the circle to stand in front her, smirking. "You didn't actually think you could get away from us, now did you?"  
  
Chimera smiled at him sourly. "No, of course not! Why would I ever want to do that?"  
  
He moved impossibly fast and suddenly his hand was around her throat. He leaned his head down so that his mouth was right by her ear. "I would have orbed or run out of her when I had the chance if I was you," he breathed in her ear.  
  
"Run from you?" she scoffed. Her insides quivered, but not from fear.  
  
He laughed lightly in her ear then leaned back. He took out an athame and gently caressed her face with it. Chimera stood unflinchingly.  
  
"A rather stupid sentiment."  
  
He took the athame blade and pulled on the silver chain around her neck until the silver pendant was pulled out from under her shirt and sparkled against the emerald fabric. Then he began to caress her face with the blade again. "You sincerely think that this little symbol is going to protect you?"  
  
"Actually I use it more as a warning, the rest I do myself," she told him flippantly.  
  
"You know, you are rather audacious for someone in your position. I could easily kill you."  
  
"I don't think that is going to be happening," a new voice said.  
  
They all looked toward the entrance of the alley. There stood the Charmed Ones.  
  
"Let go of her before we start vanquishing your sorry asses," Paige continued for Phoebe.  
  
"This doesn't concern you witches," the demon said. "It is between Miss Rush and us."  
  
"When something concerns an innocent and demons it always concerns us." Piper got ready to start freezing and exploding.  
  
The demon let out a snort at the term "innocent."  
  
"It's ok guys," Chimera spoke up. "He's right. This is just between me and them. I can handle it; you REALLY don't want to get involved."  
  
Piper looked at the large group of demons. "You can handle THIS?"  
  
"Yes. It's no problem."  
  
Phoebe looked at her like she was crazy. "Riiiiight."  
  
Paige nodded, an equally skeptical look on her face.  
  
Just then a new figure corprealized in the alley; Chimera looked on him with grateful, if not slightly annoyed, recognition, while Piper, Phoebe and Paige stared at him in shock.  
  
"Took you long enough!" Chimera declared.  
  
"Well it's kind of hard to get over her when I am fighting off a bunch of demons half way here!" Cole told her, doing his best to ignore the looks the sisters were giving him.  
  
"Well if it isn't the whitelighteresque demon," the demon said mockingly.  
  
Cole rolled his eyes. "Look, why don't we get on with playing our usual game of you-piss-us-off-we-piss-you-off-then-we-all-go-home-and-brood?"  
  
"I'm sorry to disappoint you Cole, but those are not our orders." The demon smirked.  
  
Cole sighed, annoyed. "Then what ARE your orders Infernio?"  
  
"Tsk, tsk. Now that would be telling!" Infernio gave him an enigmatic smile.  
  
"Yeah, well I don't take orders, I make my OWN decisions. And I had decided that I am going to do this - " Lightening fast, Cole threw an energy ball at one of the other demons, killing him.  
  
Taking advantage of the distraction Chimera kicked Infernio away from her.  
  
As the demons began to attack Cole and Chimera Piper, Phoebe and Paige stood and watched for a few moments.  
  
"Do you think we should help them?" Paige asked her sisters.  
  
"Well I don't know about you two, but I want some answers and I want them ASAP." Phoebe kept watching the fight.  
  
"And of course the fastest way to get those answers is for this fight to be over and the fastest way for that to happen is to help," Piper sighed. She rolled her sleeves up.  
  
"Ok let's go kick some demon ass," Paige muttered.  
  
~*~  
  
Well wadday think? PLEASE 


	9. Chapter 8

Sorry this took a while.  
  
~*~  
  
The battle was a tough one. Chimera, Cole and the Charmed Ones all worked together in fighting the demons, but Chimera mostly concentrated on Infernio. Things were crazy.  
  
About 20 minutes later the only demon, besides Cole, who remained was Infernio. He and Chimera stood several feet apart, facing each other. Everyone was breathing hard.  
  
The Charmed Ones started to move toward Infernio, but Cole blocked their way.  
  
"Cole get out of the way," Paige ordered, scowling.  
  
Cole fought to keep his face neutral. "No, this is something that only Chimera can take care of."  
  
At first it looked like they were not going to heed what he said, but then they conceded and just watched.  
  
Infernio, using his supernaturally fast reflexes, threw a fire ball at Chimera.  
  
Chimera, equally quickly raised her hand, it enveloped in electric bolts which surprised the sisters, and used that hand to easily deflect the fire ball.  
  
Infernio smirked. "You are very powerful, you could be more so, we both know it."  
  
Chimera pressed her lips together and her grey-green eyes suddenly became a sharper, firy, pure green, without even a trace of grey.  
  
"And we *both* know my answer to that." Her voice was as sharp as her eyes.  
  
Infernio seemed to sigh in resignation and disapointment. "Well then it looks as though we are at a stalemate. So I shall say, 'Adiue.'"  
  
He turned to leave, but called over his shoulder. "Make no mistake, witch, you will turn or I will have your blood."  
  
He dissapeared in a swirl of darkness.  
  
Everyone in the alley turned to look at Chimera.  
  
Her jaw was clenched and she was shaking as she stared at the spot where Infernio used to be.  
  
Paige opened her mouth to speak.  
  
"We will explain everything to you," Chimera said sharply, not moving her eyes from the spot. "But only once we are back at the house."  
  
Paige closed her mouth.  
  
~*~  
  
The whole group apeared in the sunroom of Cole and Chimera's house.  
  
Before anyone could say anything Chimera briskly left the room.  
  
Cole called after her; she reapeared at the doorway, holding a glass and a pitcher, giving a look that he knew meant, "Say anything and there will be hell to pay!"  
  
She poured herself a glass of the ice tea and setting the pitcher down took a large gulp of it.  
  
She wrapped her free arm around her chest, still shaking. Her nervs were completely raw.  
  
Phoebe wondered what it was about the confrontation that could have gotten the young woman this shook up.  
  
"Are you alright?" Piper looked at her in concern.  
  
"NO! I am NOT 'alright'!" Chimera shouted. She imediately looked guilty for yelling. "I'm sorry, you didn't deserve that. It's just that..." She wapped her arm more tighly around herself and just began to stare out the widow.  
  
"It's just what?" Paige asked.  
  
Chimera blew out a breath and bowed her head. "I guess now would be a good time to explain to you who and what I am, because the fight we were just in all stems from it."  
  
She sighed, walked over to the chairs and sat down on one side the the circle, Cole sat down next to her; the Charmed Ones sat down across from them.  
  
"I guess I should start at the beginning." She looked up at the sisters. "You may want to call you Whitelighter, so that you don't have to explain it to him later."  
  
Piper raised an eyebrow in surprise but called Leo.  
  
Leo orbed in with Mel. "What's wrong -" He broke off at the sight of Chimera and Cole.  
  
"What's up?"  
  
"They are about to tell us what is going on, so you may want to take a seat." Paige gestured to an empty spot on their side.  
  
"So what's the story?" Phoebe asked.  
  
Chimera looked down at her hands. "I don't know how to really say this except: I am a half-witch-half-Whitelighter-half-soul."  
  
~*~  
  
I know that it is short, but please let me know what you think! 


	10. Chapter 9

Don't hurt me! Please don't hurt me! I come bearing a new chapter! ::Holds up chapter as if shield.:: Sorry it took so long! When new story lines hop in my head they block out the ones I am currently working on. I finally was able to work past that block and now am able to get back to my original stories that I started here. I hope you like this new chapter!  
  
~*~  
  
Chimera looked down at her hands. "I don't know how to really say this except: I am a half-witch-half-Whitelighter-half-soul."  
  
They all looked at her in confusion, save Leo whose eyes became *very* wide.  
  
"Say what?" Paige asked.  
  
Chimera sighed. "My mother was a Whitelighter and my father was a witch. So I am half Whitelighter-half witch."  
  
"Ok, we got that." Phoebe's brow was furrowed. "What we don't get is the part about you being a 'half-soul.' What *is* a half-soul?"  
  
"Well it all started many millennia ago when the lines between good and evil had just been drawn and the world was still *very* new. Though good and evil were against each other they did agree on one thing, keeping order and keeping balance, for order was needed to form a balance, and the balance was essential to *all* life. There was one being that was the ultimate evil, now I know you are thinking 'Oh, the Source,' but this being made what the Source did look like small time. Even evil feared him and did not want him. He was called Chaos. Chaos sought to destroy the fragile, new world that good and evil were both working on creating. He was a menace to both sides. At first Chaos just did what his name implied in areas. But then he decided that he wanted to create the ultimate chaos, he wanted to destroy the world. When it came to this point good and evil realized that they had to do something so they banded together for this one occasion and fought Chaos; they won, but were unable to destroy Chaos. They had the most powerful of both sides cast spells to lock Chaos away. They knew that it would hold him for millennia, but not for eternity. So after the battle they sat down to try to find ways to make sure the balance stayed and to prepare for the day that Chaos would return. That was when they first locked away the Hollow in fact. But that is irrelevant. They had all of those on both sides, that had foresight, to look and see there was any chance of stopping Chaos for good. They saw the coming of a great power of good that would destroy it once and for all, and that it would be aided by two beings who held the power of the Balance. But they foresaw that if the Balance was left unaided it would be tipped so far that it would warp and cause the Apocalypse. So the sides agreed to lock the power of the balance away in two beings. The beings would each be half of a whole, half-souls, thus holding the balance, they would bare a mark that would let both good and evil know that they were such and would not kill them, for if their deaths are brought on prematurely, and there are no new half-souls to take their place the balance will tip and warp." Chimera pulled out her pendant. Leo's eyebrows raised when he saw it. "This is the symbol, I am one of the half souls; now you know what I am."  
  
"How do we know you are who you say you are?" Piper eyed her suspiciously and held Mel tight to her.  
  
Chimera was about to answer, but Leo spoke up first. "If she bares the same mark permanently on her body."  
  
Chimera rolled up her right sleeve and showed them the inside of her right forearm. The same symbol, at first glance it looked like a tattoo but when you looked at it closely you could see that it wasn't exactly right.  
  
Leo nodded. "You are one."  
  
"Ok, well now that that is cleared up, back to the guy in the alley, what is up with him?" Paige raised an eyebrow questioningly.  
  
Chimera got up, and wrapping her arms around herself went over to the window again. "His name in that form is Infernio, but when he is truly himself he is called Michael. He is my other half...and my lover."  
  
The Charmed Ones were...well...shocked.  
  
Phoebe was the first one to speak. "What do you mean 'when he is truly himself?'"  
  
Chimera took a deep breath. "He is half witch-half demon. The two halves hate each other and that just makes things complicated. The witch was the dominant side for many years, until about five years ago. Then the Source got to him and brought out the demon side. I have gotten him back once since then, but lost him minutes later. You see, magical beings, regardless of what they are, if they are half and half, they must embrace both parts of themselves or else they will be fighting a losing battle all their lives and will never be at peace, this is even more essential with half-souls."  
  
"Wait!" Paige furrowed her brow. "Embrace both sides? Won't giving into the demon side make things worse?"  
  
Chimera shook her head. "I never said they should give in, Paige. When beings embrace both halves no one half is in control, they find a harmony and the side that the being most wants is the one they show. You have already unconsciously done this, Paige, with your witch half and Whitelighter half, but it is easier for you and I since both of our halves are good and can..see eye to eye, if you will."  
  
Paige became thoughtful. "Was that part of the reason I was having trouble with accepting my powers?"  
  
Chimera nodded.  
  
Piper turned to Cole. "So what is your part in all of this?"  
  
Chimera spoke up for him. "He has been my friend for almost two years now. He helps me.deal."  
  
"Plus I owe her a debt I cannot pay." Cole looked down shamefully.  
  
Phoebe still wasn't sure how she felt or how to react to Cole's being here. She decided to get off the topic and ponder it when her mind was clearer. "What is this power of great good you spoke of?"  
  
She looked over at Cole, who raised an eyebrow and nodded. She glanced at her hands and took a deep breath before looking back at them. "It is a power greater than that of the Power of Three."  
  
The Charmed Ones looked at each other in shock.  
  
Piper looked back at her. "Do you know what, or who, it is exactly?"  
  
Chimera nodded gravely. "It is the Power of Four, the Power of Three plus its final element."  
  
At this the Charmed Ones gaped.  
  
"Say what?!" Paige shrieked.  
  
Chimera nodded, trying not to smile at their reactions, for this was no laughing matter. "It is you plus your fourth sister."  
  
Piper looked ready to be out for blood. "Please don't tell me we have *another* sister we were never told about!"  
  
Chimera could not hide her smile this time. "No, you don't."  
  
They all sighed in relief, but then the implications of what she was saying sunk in and shock returned along with pain.  
  
Piper's hands clenched in fists and she gritted her teeth. "Prue - is - dead."  
  
Chimera took a deep breath, preparing herself for what she was sure was going to be a maelstrom. "She died, yes. But her soul is not bound."  
  
Paige looked confused, not understanding what she meant. Piper was confused as well, but mostly because of all of the emotions roiling through her. Leo and Phoebe were looking at her in sudden understanding, surprise and dawning relief.  
  
Phoebe took a deep breath, hardly daring to hope that what she said was true. "She was not taken by the Angel of Death?"  
  
Chimera shook her head, smiling reassuringly. "No, she wasn't. She was taken there by a Whitelighter, temporarily. The Elders were confused by her death, since she wasn't supposed to die then and asked one of the Whitelighters to get her. Death wasn't going to take her then and knew it, so he let her be. It was only after Paige was revealed that the discovered the reason for her to be taken. You needed to form a tight bond, and that would never have happened if Prue had lived. Paige never would have walked into your lives. Now, it appears that the Fates believe it is time for the four of you to be reunited."  
  
"But how?" Piper looked like she wanted to believe that it was possible, but was afraid to.  
  
~*~  
  
Like? Hate? Sorry about the delay! I loved writing this chapter though, once I got started. 


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